


What If I Told You It Was Mutual?

by Iciseria



Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Fluff and Smut, M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:21:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24278047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iciseria/pseuds/Iciseria
Summary: A deep breath.  A sigh.  An awkward tension mounting.  A hand running through his blond spikes.  Soft lips chastely meeting his forehead.  A quiet voice, almost a whisper.  “I wondered.  Have been wondering for a little while.  What if I told you it was mutual?”Let's be honest and just call it like it is here: a super fluffy, so-sweet-your-teeth-might-hurt Cloud and Zack PWP in which Cloud is clearly inexperienced.
Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife
Comments: 12
Kudos: 100





	What If I Told You It Was Mutual?

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was never supposed to come to fruition. I was trying to work on something else entirely, and my dear friend sent me a beautiful song, which spiraled into this. Well, the original version of this anyway. Explanation to follow.

“Dude! Did you see the way those things took off after we brought down the abzu?” Zack laughed, carrying on about their recent success as they barged back into Cloud’s dormitory.

Cloud smiled, wincing when his friend clapped a hand on his injured shoulder. He had gotten hit by the monstrosity’s tail and slammed into a wall during battle. Rookie mistake. Classic of an infantryman who was merely playing at being more. His shoulder had dislocated on impact, and Zack had been forced to fend the creature off solo until he popped it back in. So embarrassing. Maybe that’s why Zack wore pauldrons over _both_ shoulders. He guessed that’s what he got for using a borrowed uniform. If Shinra found out that he and Zack were sneaking out to go on “practice missions,” as Zack called them, he’d surely get kicked out before he even made third class.

“Sorry Cloud! I forgot about that. You know, we should probably tape it or something.”

“Nah, should be fine by morning. Mako healing, right?” Cloud questioned. At least one of them had forgotten about it. It was a memory he’d beat himself up over for the next month.

“You haven’t had anything heal in the wrong spot yet, have you. Man, if you don’t set it properly, you’re gonna have to dislocate it _again_ to get it to heal right. Trust me, you don’t wanna do that. Besides, with only the infantry level mako treatments in you, I’m not really sure you’ve got those healing properties yet.” Clearly decided, his enthusiastic comrade took off to the bathroom, rummaging through drawers and medicine cabinets.

Meanwhile, Cloud carefully put his borrowed sword away and plopped onto the edge of his bed. Without the adrenaline of combat, the injury was stiff and sore. The mako treatments he had received for infantry initiation may do some amazing things, but they weren’t much for dulling pain. “Damnit,” he grumbled under his breath as he struggled with his shirt. Much as he tried to readjust, he couldn’t get the stupid thing very far above his waist without a lancing pain shooting down that arm. 

Zack barely suppressed a snort at the sight he walked in on. “Give it up, Cloud. Let me help you,” he snickered.

Cloud rolled his eyes, embarrassed by his own ineptitude. He supposed he didn’t have much choice in the matter. Still, he couldn’t even bring himself to make eye contact as his more experienced and clearly more _qualified_ friend gently helped him out of the tight woven top. Even without watching those striking blue eyes that mirrored his own, Cloud could feel his cheeks warming. Hopefully, Zack would just pass it off as a response to the pain.

“Thanks Zack,” Cloud mumbled, an apologetic tone touching his voice.

“No problem, man. You know I got your back. I’m gonna move this around a little to make sure it’s in properly before we tape it. You ready?”

Cloud nodded, blond spikes bobbing, while the taller man climbed up behind him on the bed. He winced and gritted his teeth as one firm hand pressed down on the shoulder while another gently supported his elbow. He grunted while Zack carefully moved the arm around in its socket. The pops and cracks made him a little queasy, and he exhaled a sigh of relief when it was over.

“Sorry, Cloud. You really busted that thing hard.”

Zack laid out tape along his skin, stabilizing the joint. The tender touch felt soothing against the soreness. Heat from the strong, yet gentle, hands warmed the injury, and Cloud felt the same warmth reflected… elsewhere. No. No, no, no. They were friends. They were comrades. Cloud looked _up_ to this man, this SOLDIER he wanted to become. No. He swallowed convulsively. That comforting warmth traced up his neck, massaging gently at the supporting muscles, working out some of the pesky soreness. The compassion, the caring. In a world of cold brutality, it really was _so_ nice. Seemingly of its own accord, Cloud’s face bent in toward the kneading fingers to brush them appreciatively. 

Shit. He caught himself and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it all out. This could ruin… everything. He turned his face away. _Think of an excuse. Think of an excuse._ Maybe he could come back from this. Maybe Zack would believe he was just stretching. When he opened his eyes, he was startled to see a handsome smiling face peeking back at him from over his shoulder.

“Feel okay?”

Their gazes met for only a second before Cloud was overcome with shyness. He blushed furiously and tucked his chin to nod silently. Zack’s eyes were burning into his skull. _Shit,_ his stupid reflexes had given him away. His own eyes stung with embarrassment and self-loathing. His fingernails dug into his palms, leaving half-moons of hatred in his skin. There went the only friend he had at Shinra, the only person at the organization that saw him as more than some runt of a cadet.

A deep breath. A sigh. An awkward tension mounting. A hand running through his blond spikes. Soft lips chastely meeting his forehead. A quiet voice, almost a whisper. “I wondered. Have been wondering for a little while. What if I told you it was mutual?”

Cloud wasn’t sure how long a heart could stop for before death ensued, but he was pretty sure his was setting a record. His lungs were devoid of air, filled with only shock. Disbelievingly, he brought his eyes to meet his friend’s.

Worry was creeping into Zack’s face, nervous lines etching themselves into his skin. “Unless I misread?”

Cloud couldn’t find words. His tongue was glued to his palate, suddenly as dry as the deserts. Though he tried to open his mouth to say anything at all, nothing came out. He could only manage a small shake of his head.

Apparently, that was enough. Zack hooked his finger underneath Cloud’s chin. Meeting no resistance, he brought their lips together into a warm and gentle embrace. At first, Cloud was too stunned to respond. He let his comrade explore his mouth for a few seconds before shyly returning the kiss. The smell of sweat and battle and mako filled his nose as Zack’s tongue filled his mouth. The desperation of long hidden desire gripped him, and he tangled his fingers in midnight spikes, pulling them deeper into one another. He would be happy to drown in these kisses, to forsake oxygen for just one more taste.

Zack’s caring arms wrapped around his torso, lifting him with the strength of SOLDIER and laying him supine on the mattress. It was a gracefulness Cloud hoped to possess one day, but for now, he was content to be possessed by it instead. Lips smiled against his own as he fumbled clumsily with the buckles and fastenings of Zack’s armor, one arm rendered somewhat useless by the limitations of injury. He trembled as the larger man ground against him, leaving no doubts that they were both enjoying the experience equally.

Cloud reached out to explore Zack’s muscles as the powerful SOLDIER sat back to remove the top of his uniform. Unthinkingly, he licked his lips, which felt so cold and empty compared to a few moments ago. How he starved for this man’s touch. A mischievous grin bloomed over his friend’s face. “So, this is okay then?” Zack questioned, a hint of genuine concern in his voice.

The gears in Cloud’s brain finally began to turn again, and his freshly oiled tongue worked itself free. “Yeah, but what about the flower…you know… _girl?_ ” He wished he hadn’t said it as soon as the words left his mouth. Why was his brain so stupid at the worst times?

Unbothered, Zack chuckled playfully. “You’re saying I can’t like both? I vaguely remember _you_ talking about a hot little number from Nibelheim.” 

_Definitely_ wished he hadn’t said it. He didn’t know if he could blush harder than he already had, but his face felt like it was crawling with fire. “Right, sorry. Dumb question.”

Allowing himself to drop forward to his elbows, Zack whispered into the blond spikes, “Never dumb, Cloud.”

While Cloud very much doubted that, his mind returned to blank as tender kisses sprinkled along his neck and collarbone. He wrapped his arms around the man atop him, clinging contentedly to the chiseled torso and moaning softly into dark hair. He felt safe and protected. Cared for. Wanted. And aroused as hell by all of it. 

He let out a quiet gasp as Zack nipped particularly hard at his clavicle, sucking hungrily and leaving a purple mark behind. Cloud couldn’t help but smile shyly at the possessive action and the feeling of comfortable belonging it evoked, the feeling that he mattered enough to somebody to be claimed. He rocked his hips upward appreciatively, willing for their bodies to melt together into one. From the first time Zack had shown him kindness, calling him “farm boy” and treating him as an equal despite their difference in status, Cloud had been secretly infatuated. Never would he have thought the popular, charismatic Zack Fair would return those feelings. Yet here they were, basking in each other’s heat, sliding against each other like eddies in a stream.

Cloud fisted his hands in Zack’s hair as the strong SOLDIER worked his way gradually lower, licking along the smaller man’s lean abdomen, teasing his nipples with fingertips roughened by sword play. It felt so good, yet Cloud already missed the feeling of their tongues intertwined. He wanted to be covered and utterly devoured by this man, in such a way that he would lose track of which nerve endings belonged to which body.

“May I?” Zack asked, looking up at him while toying with the belt buckles at Cloud’s waist.

Cloud stared into the man’s eyes, falling upward into pools of mako-touched cerulean that reflected his own, and nodded in approval. He lifted his hips while Zack removed the clothing from his lower half. The sudden nakedness left Cloud feeling self-conscious, even more so when he noticed Zack taking in every inch of his exposed skin. Without the training and enhancements of true SOLDIER, he was very aware of how much smaller and less muscular his own body was compared to the apparent perfection before him.

His friend must have sensed his growing discomfort because Zack laid out next to him and whispered softly in his ear sweet nothings about how beautiful he looked while lightly tickling his chest, his stomach, his bare thighs. Cloud nuzzled into him affectionately, at peace in an utterly unfamiliar way. An insuppressible shudder rippled through him as Zack’s gentle touches moved between his legs. He couldn’t stop a low moan from escaping his lips as warmth wrapped around his twitching length and began to slowly stroke. He was lost in the pleasure that crashed over him, barely noticing as Zack’s leg wrapped around his own, coaxing his thighs apart. While he had envisioned such occurrences behind his eyelids, never had he imagined it would feel this good.

He leaned in for another passionate kiss, but was halted by rough fingertips playing at his lip. Unsure of the implication, he knitted his eyebrows together. As a silent reply, Zack pressed gently between Cloud’s lips until understanding resonated. The young man’s teeth separated, taking fingers in fully. He tasted each surface. Leather, of gloves worn in battle. Sweat, from exertion and excitement. Something else, something unique. Perhaps the very essence of SOLDIER. Cloud wasn’t sure, but he savored it, pleased to see Zack’s eyelids flutter shut.

With an approving hum, Zack pulled his hand back to replace it with his tongue. Using new-found confidence, Cloud infused his growing boldness into the kiss. He wanted Zack to feel the desire, the want, the _need_ running through his very core. Saliva coated fingertips guided down his body while he kissed, eliciting a trail of goosebumps in their wake. His breath caught in his chest as the exploration delved deeper, grazing along his cock, the tender skin between his legs, and coming to rest at his entrance.

He had been so caught up in everything else that he hadn’t been prepared for Zack’s finger pressing into him. The slick intrusion caused him to gasp and tense, unfamiliar with the foreign sensation. Cloud twisted his hands into the sheets, and he felt the most intimate touch quickly withdraw.

“Cloud, am I hurting you?” Zack inquired, concern layering his voice.

“No, no. I… I just…” Cloud fumbled for the right words. He didn’t want to ruin the moment. He was so tired of ruining things. It had never occurred to him to try anything on his own to prepare because it had never occurred to him that he would ever actually end up in this position.

“Oh shit. You’ve never done this before, have you? Oh gaia, I didn’t know,” Zack apologized as the light of comprehension flicked on.

Cloud squeezed his eyes shut, embarrassed by words he hadn’t been able to say.

“I’m so sorry Cloud. The way I’ve seen you look at Sephiroth, I just figured…”

“No, please,” Cloud interrupted. “I want to. I mean, I have wanted to. I…” What else could he even say to fix this? Or would he just continue digging the hole he had created for himself?

Zack smiled, the silent understanding saying more than simple words ever could. A hero to the rescue as always. “I’ll take it slow, Cloud. Just… talk to me, okay?” he pleaded. “Do you maybe have anything that’s better than saliva? We can start there.”

Completely naked and under the touch of his long-time crush, Cloud wasn’t sure why, but admitting that he owned lube still seemed like some taboo act. Like the very question didn’t imply that Zack probably owned some too. Why did he feel like some ridiculous teenager caught in the middle of a guilty pleasure? He threw an arm over his eyes as though he could hide behind his own limb while he nodded at his nightstand. Zack allowed him that moment of perceived privacy, welcoming himself to the bottle in the drawer. He coated his fingers generously and repositioned himself between Cloud’s thighs.

Warmth pumping his cock caused Cloud to quickly forget his temporary humiliation. He threw his head back against the pillow and found himself resting his palm against Zack’s fist, delighting in every movement. The friction, the pace, was perfect and had him shuddering with excitement quickly. The way Zack flicked his thumb over Cloud’s tip, swiping away beads of precome, caused him to hiss. He found himself rolling his hips into the strokes, a pantomimed plea for harder, faster, more. Once he was completely lost in the throes of pleasure, he felt a slickness pressing into him. This time, Cloud was so distracted that he accepted it willingly.

The probing motions were gentle, slight readjustments barely noticed compared to the glorious feelings running through his throbbing erection. Suddenly, an electricity exploded from his center, creating a new layer of unfathomable pleasure. He couldn’t be certain exactly what his partner had done, but he wanted more. Groans of appreciation ripped from him, and he reached out to grab ahold of Zack. To grab ahold of anything that would anchor him to reality. The world felt like it was slipping away beneath him, or maybe like he was simply floating away from it on unseen wings.

“Feels good, right? Ready for more?” Zack breathed.

Cloud could barely comprehend the questions from within the storm of sensation he was immersed in. He guessed he was ready for more of whatever Zack had in mind, but he couldn’t focus even if he wanted to. Sadly, he found he was wrong, still unprepared for the feeling of a second finger entering him. His hips jerked back against the bed in surprise, despite Zack’s efforts to be slow and gentle. His partner paused for a few moments, allowing him time to acclimate. Cloud tried to hide his discomfort, clenching his teeth together and focusing on his breathing. But, when Zack tried to cautiously spread his fingers, it was too much for Cloud’s inexperience. The newness and surprise of it all had been overwhelming in itself. To add the sharp burning stretch was more than he could handle, physically or mentally. Even though he wanted this. Even though he wanted Zack. Maybe _because_ he wanted it so badly. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as he bit into his lip, trying to bury the pain and ignore it, but he couldn’t stop his muscles from tensing any more than he could stop the whimper from escaping his throat.

Acutely aware of his lover’s distress, Zack stopped. “Cloud, I don’t think we should go much farther tonight,” he said apologetically. “I’m hurting you, and I don’t want that.”

Cloud could feel his eyes burning in frustration. Just one more way to fail. Why did he always sabotage himself like this? “But Zack, I do want to,” he choked out. “I’m sorry.” He closed his eyes, not trusting himself to hold in tears of bitter disappointment and self-loathing.

Tenderly, Zack brushed his lips against Cloud’s eyelids. “I know. Don’t apologize, Cloud. It’s okay. It’ll happen, but it’s a lot to get used to,” he encouraged lovingly. “Next time, we’ll go to my place instead. I’ll make sure we’ve got some things there so we can work you up to it properly, but I’m not going to hurt you by pushing you too far right now. Nothing says we can’t still enjoy tonight though, right?” He grinned, face radiating a mixture of patient understanding and ever-present mischief. 

Cloud pulled the muscled body closer so he could bury himself into Zack’s neck, shedding a solitary tear of raw emotion. He nodded, blond spikes tangling with black ones. “You’re too good to me,” he admitted. “You’ve always been too good to me.” It was more than Cloud felt he deserved. The patience. The kindness. The…

All thoughts were interrupted as the dark-haired SOLDIER broke from the embrace and returned his attention to providing exactly the sort of enjoyment he had suggested, taking Cloud’s still-erect length into his mouth. The young man’s back arched reflexively, erasing whatever emotional pain he had been contending with. He twisted his fingers into the midnight locks, tremors overtaking him. Zack’s tongue worked him thoroughly, dancing acrobatically against all his most sensitive places. With all the skill and attention being showered on him, he knew he wouldn’t last long, but he wanted this moment to extend into eternity. He was practically panting when Zack once more entered him, carefully minding Cloud’s newly established limits, and provided that magical pressure that sent him cascading over the edge into bliss. The world staggered on its axis while time simply stopped. Vision, hearing, everything but physical touch all turned to static. Cloud moaned and thrusted, body convulsing rhythmically with the most intense climax he had ever experienced. Zack only ceased milking him through his peak when Cloud’s body began to flinch in the overstimulation of aftershock.

Satisfied with the sweaty, sex-mussed mess before him, Zack dipped out briefly to wash his hands. Cloud barely noticed the momentary absence, his teeth still tingling from his experience, but he was grateful when his friend returned to drape him in cuddles and affection. His more than friend? He wasn’t really sure what they were now, only that he was happy about it. One thing Cloud could be sure of, though, was that his comrade, friend, crush, lover, whatever-to-call-him was still hard. 

Reluctant but resolved, Cloud broke out of the warm sleepy snuggle. “Lay back. I want to take care of you now,” he found the courage to say.

“Cloud, you don’t have to do that. I’m okay. I’m happy to just cuddle with you,” Zack assured him.

“We can cuddle after,” Cloud asserted, sounding more confident than he felt. “I _want_ to do this.”

Zack gave him a charming smirk and relented, rolling to his back and watching the infantryman intently. Boldly, Cloud went after the SOLDIER’s trousers, unbuckling and removing them with a bit of assistance. His eyes roved over the newly freed erection, a bit intimidated given that the only cock he had touched up until now was his own. He ran his hands along the perfect skin of muscular thighs, kneading firmly. Zack rocked his hips in approval, clearly aching for more contact.

Seconds ticked by. Silently, Cloud berated himself for his own timidity. He had asked for this. Zack had given him the best orgasm of his life. But what if he couldn’t deliver anything close to that? What if he was just plain _bad?_ He tried to place his self-doubt to the side as he loosely grasped Zack’s impressive girth and swiped tantalizingly from base to tip. The contented sigh he was met with bolstered his confidence, if only slightly. He must have been broadcasting his unsureness at full volume because a larger hand wrapped around his own, tightening his grip and gently guiding him through preferred motions. Perhaps he could have taken offense, but honestly, Cloud was grateful for the wordless nudge. After all, he wanted nothing more than to show this man even a fraction of the pleasure he had just experienced.

Eventually, Zack’s hand started to coax Cloud’s lower and lower. Cloud glanced down, then back to his friend’s face. Was Zack implying what he thought? Their gazes met, interpretation confirmed by a small smile and a nod. Pink tinged Cloud’s cheeks as he paused to coat his fingers in lube, not really believing what he was about to do. Using Zack’s earlier ministrations as a guide, Cloud stroked with one hand while using the other to slickly massage puckered opening. The beautiful SOLDIER spread his legs farther in welcome anticipation.

Two rings of muscle parted easily for Cloud’s digit, allowing him to slide into the snug heat with minimal resistance. A twitch within his fist broke him from his fascination and reminded him to continue pumping Zack’s throbbing appendage while he slowly finger fucked the tight hole. He looked up to see his friend-more-than-friend’s eyes closed, lips parted, and eyebrows knit together in a look of enjoyment. Cloud’s chest swelled with emotion. The caring he had for this SOLDIER, _his_ SOLDIER, ran deep. To see him relaxed, hypnotized by arousal, was enough to make Cloud smile a rare, true smile that came from the heart.

“More…” Zack pleaded, sweat causing his black spikes to cling limply to his face.

Cloud hesitated at the request, remembering his own painful stretch. What if he caused pain in turn? Yet Zack was _asking_ for it. He wouldn’t ask if it were going to be painful, right? Decided, he cautiously added a second finger to the first, burying both deep within. Zack moaned loudly in response, pulling at his own hair and contracting around the additional penetration.

“Does it hurt?” Cloud asked. Worry laced his voice, and he paused his movements.

“No… feels good…” Zack breathed, grinding himself back against Cloud’s hand.

Reassured, Cloud began to probe at the soft walls of his SOLDIER’s inner chambers. He hoped to elicit the same intense pleasure he had experienced, even though he wasn’t exactly sure how to go about it. At least Zack seemed to be enjoying himself fully, thrusting in time with the younger man’s movements. With each backward turn of his hips, he forced Cloud’s fingers deeper.

Cloud saw pearly beads beginning to form. In a moment of daring, he leaned forward and licked away the salty moisture. Simultaneously, his probing fingers grazed over a patch of firmness. Zack bucked hard in response.

“Fuck!” he cried out. “Cloud, _gaia_. Right there!”

Encouraged, Cloud pressed against the same spot he had found, causing Zack to arch his back and toss his head to the side. The young blond took a few deep breaths to work up his nerve. Then, he leaned in, wrapped his lips around Zack’s swollen cock and sucked. Control shattered, the muscular man rocked into Cloud’s mouth, and Cloud couldn’t help but gag at the sudden fullness in his throat. However, he learned quickly, using his hand to moderate how much he would allow inside and using his tongue to languish Zack’s sensitive tip. 

“Nnggg mmmhh,” Zack called out unintelligibly.

It was all the warning Cloud had before he felt everything tighten under his touch. Smooth muscle clenched around his slick fingers. Thick cock pulsed hard against his lips and tongue. Warm seed jetted into his mouth, and he swallowed determinedly, listening to harsh cries of ecstasy fill the room. He continued his attentions until Zack stilled. Mostly stilled, anyway, as rhythmic contractions subsided into weak quivers. After he softly withdrew, he wiped his hands on the towel Zack must have brought back from his bathroom trip earlier, and nestled into his friend’s side, resting his head on toned chest. The strong heart beat gradually slowed, soothing both of them into a sated, sleepy daze.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t… you know,” Cloud apologized, nuzzling affectionately.

Zack smiled and kissed him tenderly. “You don’t have to be sorry. You were amazing, Cloud. Like I said, next time, after we get back from the upcoming Nibelheim mission, we can work on it if you want.” He pulled the younger man into a tight embrace. The held each other close until their breaths turned into soft snores, and they drifted into the safe sleep of intertwined lovers.

**Author's Note:**

> The ORIGINAL version of this (which was still never supposed to exist) was actually VERY sad/bittersweet. As in, I was tearing up writing it, and y'all know exactly why. Needless to say, I stripped the sad out because the IRL pandemic is sad enough without sad porn on top of it. I guess, now, I could write about their next time. Or write what I'm supposed to be writing since there's some seriously higher quality Clack smut already floating around here on AO3.


End file.
